If you are ever visiting San Francisco and have an extra day for adventure, I highly recommend jumping into the car and heading to Silicon Valley. The drive is beautiful and it is a worthwhile experience to see some of the big businesses and small treasures of the tech world.

Road trips with elderly parents must provide a high comfort quotient, starting with a well-appointed sedan and, if possible, luxury hotels. No matter how tired my mother was, when we checked into a gorgeous place, she beamed from ear to ear.